


Til Death Do Us Part

by IndigoDream



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Blood and Injury, Character Death, Gods AU, M/M, Major Character Undeath, Married Couple, the death gets fixed no problemo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:26:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25530550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IndigoDream/pseuds/IndigoDream
Summary: Winter in Kaer Morhen can get pretty boring. When Aiden and Lambert decide to take on a small hunt to loosen their limbs, neither of them expects to find themselves dead, and meeting a small god, who has more than one revelation for them.
Relationships: Aiden/Lambert (The Witcher)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 52





	Til Death Do Us Part

**Author's Note:**

> Hello~ 
> 
> Hope you'll enjoy what was supposed to be a "mindless whump exercise" and turned into a nice little one shot! Aiden/Lambert is my new obsession and I love them **so much**.

“Come on, come on, come back to me, don’t do this to me!” Aiden pleads, and his face is covered in tears as he shakes Lambert’s shoulders. 

His husband, his lover, his everything. His _everything_ , the strongest man he had ever met, is lying down in the snow, breathing so laboured that it sounds like some piece of machinery as air goes through his lungs. There are bolts sticking from his chest, and his eyes are half closed, brown pupils trying to focus hopelessly on Aiden. 

“Sorry,” he manages to say through blood and cough, and it takes all the energy out of him. 

Aiden yells loudly, trying to stop the thousands of cuts from bleeding, but his own armour is torn and shredded, blood pearling from his own wounds. He can’t use anything to cover the wounds, but it shouldn’t be what worries him the most.

The five bolts in Lambert’s chest should be what worries him most. After all, they are what is going, invariably, to kill the man Aiden loves. But he can’t look at those, can’t keep his mind on them. He needs to keep moving, needs to stop the bleeding. He needs to be able to do something, anything. What good is he, if he can’t even save his husband? He has to do this, has to save Lambert. Just one time, one more time, and then they can both rest. Hole up somewhere safe, somewhere where no one will hurt them. 

“Please,” he begs, fingers getting coated in blood as he presses against the large wound on Lambert’s side. “Stay with me. You promised you wouldn’t leave me alone, not ever, you swore an oath!” 

“Til death,” Lambert coughs out the words, and blood and spit cover Aiden’s hand as he moves to cradle his head. “Do us part.” 

“Yeah, you swore you wouldn’t leave me,” Aiden sobs the words, placing a kiss against Lambert’s bruised lips. “You can’t break your oath, you can’t!” 

Lambert hiccups, yellow eyes closing completely. “Sorry,” he apologizes again, and his ragged breathing stops. The machinery of his life disappears, and Aiden yells again, a roar that echoes throughout the mountain. 

They had just gone on a small hunt, to get their limbs loose from staying inside in the keep. It should have been an easy hunt, a pack of wolves wild with hunger that had been seen lurking around the village at the end of the path that lead to Kaer Morhen. It should have been an easy enough hunt. There shouldn’t have been a group of bandit, ready to ambush them as they walked through the snow. 

There had been twenty of them. Twenty of them with crossbows and swords and axes. Neither Aiden nor Lambert had worn their most robust armours that day. It should have been an easy hunt. 

They had fought side by side, two witchers used to the weight of each other, to the other’s movements. Their vows weren’t new, their fighting either, and they should have won. They should have managed to kill them all. 

But Lambert had gotten one of his fingers cut. And then two bolts had buried themselves in his chest, and Aiden had lost sight of the wounds that had kept multiplying on them. Lambert had protected him, made sure that none of the bolts had found their ways into Aiden’s skin. 

Lambert had known since the first bolt that he would not survive this fight, Aiden suspects, and he had decided to go down in a show of glory. 

“You’ve always been too heroic for your own damn good,” Aiden whispers, cradling Lambert’s body against his own. It’s already cooling down, the warmth of his lover leaving in the growing snowstorm. Undoubtedly, it will catch up with them soon, and bury Aiden alongside Lambert. Good. Aiden doesn’t care for living if there isn’t Lambert besides him. 

The others will worry, will look for them, but under all the snow, they will not find them. Maybe in spring, Vesemir will do one of his rounds and he will find them. Find Aiden holding the skeleton of his son, eaten away by time and animals. Or maybe it will be Geralt, or Eskel. One of the wolves could wander outside of the beaten paths, search for them… For now, they must all believe that the couple has lingered in town, or got caught up down the valley, unable to go back up. Right now, they aren’t too worried, and Aiden can only wish them this. 

They had been the first family, the only family, he had ever had. He never got a real childhood, and then the rest of his life had been hunting monsters and killing men. The other Cats had been nothing like the Wolves of Kaer Morhen. None of them had any sense of family, of belonging together. Aiden had hated them; he still does, although he has mostly forgiven them. After all, it was not their fault if they had all been raised with cruelty and pain as their only methods of teaching and existing. 

The storm is terrible, when it arrives upon them, but Aiden refuses to move. He holds Lambert’s body tightly, and yells in the snow and ice. He feels his own body slowly freezing, and there are soon dreams that overtake him as he falls asleep. 

Aiden opens his eyes, and light and warmth flood him. His arms are still holding onto Lambert’s body, and he rips out the bolts angrily, uncaring of his surrounding. His husband deserves to have a peaceful rest, and he will make sure that it happens, no matter where they are. Nothing will stop him from making this his priority. 

“Oh, you’re not alone…” The voice comes from everywhere at once, and Aiden goes to get his sword from his back, but he comes back empty-handed. 

This is when he realizes that he is wearing the deep blue tunic he had worn for his wedding, and his wedding band shines as bright as the day Lambert had crafted it for him. He looks down and realizes that Lambert is wearing the same black velvet shirt he had been on their wedding day, and his own wedding band shines as well. They are both bathed in a gentle golden glow.

“This has never happened before. You must be quite the strong one, youngling.” Something pushes at his back, and Aiden bares his teeth as the voice chuckles. “My, my, my… Quite feisty as well… Let’s see, what is your domain… You brought back someone with you, which is unheard of…” 

The voice continues talking to itself and Aiden can’t hold himself back anymore. He stands up, lifting Lambert’s body in his arms and cradling it to his chest tenderly. 

“Show yourself, coward!” He shouts, and his whole body trembles and shakes. “Where are you hiding?” 

“Rude as well… I think I might know where you fit in, youngling!” The voice suddenly draws nearer, and Aiden realizes where they are. 

He has seen this place before, in his dreams. The large fire pit in the middle of the never ending library, the colours that shine through stained windows, the soft glow of a star covered ceiling… This is exactly like his dreams. There is a strange tug in his chest. It feels as if he is coming home.

He tightens his hold on Lambert as a small figure steps forward. Hooded, Aiden can’t see their face, but he can see the horns poking out, and the clawed feet. The _thing_ ’s skin is a mossy shade of green. They can’t be higher than four feet, but their presence fills the whole room regardless. They are a giant dressed in the skin of a dwarf. 

“Here, here,” they say and extend a book to him. “Lets see what the Book says!” 

Their hood falls away from their face, and Aiden is surprised to see a youthful face, almost as if he were talking to a child. He reaches for the book they are holding, and when he meets their eyes, he realizes that they are much more than they seem. The dark orbs that replace their eyes are reflecting the light, and yet… Aiden has the odd impression that they see more than anyone ever has in the universe. 

He sinks back to his knees so that he can put Lambert on the ground again, keeping his head in his lap. It’s an awkward manoeuvre, but Aiden has had worse. 

“Your companion-“ 

“Husband,” Aiden snaps and grabs Lambert’s hand, showing off their matching rings. “He is my husband.” 

“My apologies,” the creature says cheerfully. “Your husband will be fine, you do not need to hold him still. He will be restored to you once you domain has been chosen!”

“What the fuck are you even talking about? And who are you? Where am I?” 

“So many questions!” The creature sounds absolutely delighted. “My name is Anek, I am the guardian of the Realms! You stand at the crossroad between godhood and mortality. Now that your body has died, you can finally find your place amongst your godly siblings!” 

“My fucking what now?” 

“Do you not know?” Anek tilts their head to the side. “Your guardian did not inform you of your status?” 

“What guardian? I grew up with the Cats, had to fend for myself when I was just a kid. I didn’t have any guardian.” 

Anek looks troubled this time, and they grab the book again. “Mmm, this won’t do then. You’ll need to use your powers before the Book can see where you fit.” 

“Use my-“ Aiden snarls. “You’re insane! I just want to die and find my husband in the afterlife!”

He is crying again, unable to stop himself. He had thought his torture would end when the snowstorm had devoured Lambert and him, but apparently the pain never ends. He wants everything to go back to normal, he wants to have Lambert back, he wants… 

There is a crack in him, something that overflows and falls out of him in heavy drips. He falls forward, his fist clutching Lambert’s shirt, and he begs the world to give him back this man. There is nothing that Aiden wouldn’t do for Lambert. 

A ragged breathing resonates in his ear, and then it smoothes out, slowly becomes normal again, as if nothing had happened, and when Aiden withdraws, Lambert’s hand holds onto his own. His lover blinks his eyes open, and the golden of his pupils nearly blinds Aiden. 

“You’re here, you’re back…” Aiden marvels, intertwining his fingers with Lambert. “You were-“ 

“Yeah, I was. No need to make a fuss of it, kitten,” Lambert replies, gruff, but his hold on Aiden’s hand is so tight that you couldn’t pry either of them away from the other no matter how much force you applied to it. 

“You’re back…” Aiden leans over and steals a kiss from his husband’s lips. “I missed you…” 

“Missed you too. What the fuck is going on now?”

“Welcome, young master!” Anek bows slightly to Lambert. “Welcome to the Crossroad! Your husband brought you back to life, which marks him as a god of healing! Perhaps a god of life… The Book will be able to tell now that he has used his powers!” 

“What are you talking about?” Lambert frowns and looks at Aiden. “You’ve got any idea what this weird kid is saying?” 

“My name is Anek, young master!” Anek’s cheerful voice is too much right now, and when they see Aiden’s glare, they bow again. “Come find me when you’re both ready, masters.” 

He disappears in the blink of an eye, and Aiden groans. “Damn it.” 

“What happened? Lambert sits up, frowning at his destroyed shirt. “We were fighting bandits, and then… I died.” 

“You did,” Aiden stops the new tears in his eyes. “And then I think I did too. When I woke up, we were here, and that… god? I think they were a god at least, was talking nonsense about a guardian and me and powers, but then you woke up and… yeah.”

Lambert groans and looks at Aiden. “Kitten, you’re fucking glowing.” 

“What?” 

Lambert sighs as he looks around. “I’ve got nothing to show you, but you gotta trust me. You’re glowing.” 

There is a pause, a silence that rarely occurs between them when they are so close to one another. They are entangled with one another, refusing to let go, refusing to accept a reality where they aren’t holding onto each other. 

“Maybe we should find the weird kid.” 

“Anek,” Aiden chuckles and stands up slowly, muscles stretching painfully as he does so. He helps Lambert up afterwards, and their hands stay holding onto the other. “I’ve no idea where to find them…” 

“Might as well look at the books while we are at it,” Lambert grunts, and Aiden hides a smile. Lambert might try to hide it, but Aiden knows him. He has seen him being completely engrossed in books for hours on end, lost in stories of old. This must be quite exciting for him. 

The library they are in seems infinite, rows of books stretching beyond their sight. The warmth of the fire they had just left carries over throughout the whole room, and in their summery outfits, they are pleasantly warm. It is, regardless of how strange the whole experience is, a nice moment for them to enjoy. 

After what could be hours or days, and really they have no way of telling, they find Anek, sitting at a table under a cluster of floating stars. The god is writing, quill scratching the paper almost irritably, but it also has a nice soothing rhythm. Lambert and Aiden exchange a look; neither of them wants to break the peace of the moment, but there are questions that demand answers. 

“Talk, young masters,” Anek instructs and looks up, smiling. “If you’ve found me, it is that you sought me out. Are you finally ready to see what the Book will say about you?” 

“What’s with this Book, anyway,” Lambert asks as he grabs it off the table, where Anek had gestured. “Does it have Aiden’s name somewhere or what?” 

“Why don’t you open it, young master?” Anek sounds amused, their tone taking a light, teasing lilt. “The Book will tell you!” 

Lambert glares at them but opens the Book anyway. A small, blue light comes over him, and the pages flip, before presenting an illustration of Lambert with his swords drawn, surrounded by wolves. On his hand, the wedding band glints even through the illustration. Underneath, written in a tight, neat handwriting, Aiden can read over Lambert’s shoulder ‘Lambert, God of the Hunt”. 

“Wait, I thought Aiden was the one who was a god?” Lambert growls and tosses the Book back on the table. “Isn’t that what you said earlier?” 

“Yes, absolutely, master Lambert!” Anek seems to have learned his name as the Book was opened, and there is a frown on both husbands’ face. “But your husband brought you with him! No mortal can enter the Crossroad. By bringing you here, he made you a god as well! You see, immortal spouses can choose to make their mortal lovers immortal as well, although it has never occurred so early in one’s godly journey before!” 

“What the fuck are you—“ 

“Lambert, come on.” Aiden wraps an arm around his waist and makes him turn around. Their faces are close now, and Aiden pushes their foreheads together. “I don’t care how or why. I’m just glad that, if I have to live all eternity, I’ll have you by my side, pup.” 

A sigh, then a kiss pressed to his lips, soft and delicate, a promise sealed. Then Lambert nods, and grabs back the Book. 

“Your turn.” 

Fear grips his stomach as he accepts the Book from Lambert. What will he find in there? Who will he be? He is… He is a witcher, nothing else, and the idea that he could be a god frightens him. And yet, it is their reality now. If Lambert is one, so is Aiden, and he has to confront who he truly is. 

When he opens it, the pages flip until they reach a large illustration. On it, Aiden sits on a fountain, a wolf laid at his feet, and Lambert, for it can be no one else, has his head in Aiden’s lap. Their hands are joined, holding tightly on each other, and the scene feels more peaceful than anything Aiden has ever seen. It feels so real, he can almost picture it. It’s almost a memory in his mind, and yet he knows this has never happened. 

“God of Life,” he reads out, and looks back at Anek. The god looks very self-satisfied, and Aiden rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, we know, you had predicted this. So, what does it mean?” 

“It means that you are gods, young masters!” 

“Can we go back to our home?” Aiden asks, hand tightening on Lambert’s. “Or do we have to stay here until … well, I don’t know, until forever?” 

“Stay in the Crossroad? No, never. I am the only one who can stay. You may pass from time to time, for it is the only point of entry between the mortal world and your godly home.” Anek smiles and stands up, retrieving the Book and placing it back on the table. “Now, it would be traditional that you go to your domain, but I believe that you will not find this a pleasant outcome. You may return to the mortal world, if you so desire masters. You will only have to desire to be back here for me to let you in your domain.” 

“So how do we go back?” Lambert asks, and he looks around. Strangely, they are back near the pit, and the rows of books surround them from farther away. “I don’t exactly see a door.” 

“Of course not!” Anek shakes their head, tutting slightly. “How easily would it be for anyone to break in, if there were a door? No, you must step into the fire, and think of where in the mortal world you wish to be!” 

The couple exchanges a look, no words needed for them to understand each other. 

“We’ll be seeing you then, I suppose,” Aiden says to Anek, who waves cheerfully. 

“Don’t hesitate to come back!” 

In a single step, Aiden and Lambert are crossing the protective layer of the fire pit. The flames dance around them, but they don’t catch fire. Only simple warmth and contentment. 

“Main yard?” Lambert says, and Aiden nods. 

Holding onto each other tightly, they close their eyes, and the warmth disappears. The biting cold of winter hits them, and when Aiden opens his eyes, he sighs of relief. They are home. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! You can come find me on tumblr (@saltytransidiot) if you want to chat about Lamden, or Geraskier, or the witcher in general :D 
> 
> Leave a kudos or comment if you want, they make my days !


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